Ernest Carleton Bass, best-known as Carleton Bass, born 1876 in Ireland, was a notorious bullfighter in the United States who billed himself in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as the "first North American bullfighter."[1] In reality, he was an Irish immigrant who never became an American citizen, and his anemic bullfighting skill led to him being booed from bullfighting rings in Mexico.[2] Though he had learned some swordfighting and bullfighting skills in Spain before he emigrated to the United States, he was a poor fighter. In 1903, he suffered an attack of nerves before a fight in Mexico and failed to fight.[2] In 1904, he was a key figure in the St. Louis bullfight riot, which led to the destruction of a 14,000-seat arena by fire. Three days after the riot, he shot and killed fellow matador Manuel Cervera Prieto after the other man attacked Bass with a knife over a dispute regarding the bullfight canceled by the riot.[3] A subsequent coroner's inquest found Bass acted in self-defense and should not be charged with murder.[4] Following his acquittal, Bass went on to star in several bloodless bullfights.[2][5] These involved enraging the bull, causing it to charge and miss, but not spearing it or cutting it with a sword.
